Photo by Ben Slowey
Coldplay - Madison 2025
Coldplay performs at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin (2025)
Coldplay’s first Wisconsin concert since 2009 took place Saturday, July 19 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, filling the stands with thousands of fans of all ages. Saturday’s sold-out show was the only Midwest stop of the band’s current Music of the Spheres tour, which so far in 2025 has taken them to the East and West Coasts, El Paso, Denver and Las Vegas as well as both South and East Asia.
Formed in London in 1997, the British alternative rock giants Coldplay are frontman Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion. As one of the most commercially successful bands of all-time, Coldplay is lauded for their emotive pop hits driven by Martin’s soaring vocals over pianos and guitars as well as their immersive live performances and consistent devotion to global humanitarian efforts.
Since debut album Parachutes in 2000, Coldplay has released electrifying, impactful records like 2002’s A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2005’s X&Y and 2008’s Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends, eventually experimenting with concept albums, stylistic shifts and more artistic collaborations into the 2010s and 2020s. Variety reports that the band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Wisconsin Connection
Concert attendees on Saturday were handed digital bracelets and 3-D glasses upon entry into the stadium. Three openers graced the stage ahead of Coldplay: Zimbabwean Afro-pop artist Shone, Palestinian-Chilean singer-songwriter Elyanna and Nigerian-Beninese Afro-pop/R&B artist Ayra Starr, each bringing their own brand of effervescent energy complete with backup dancers and playful crowd interactions.
Introducing Coldplay was Middleton couple Beth and Peter Rahko, who revealed that their son Bill is Coldplay’s sound engineer and a crucial member of their behind-the-scenes production. Chris Martin would later give a shoutout to Bill Rahko during the band’s encore, spotlighting Rahko on the Jumbotron while he was hard at work beneath the stage.
|
|
In accordance with the tour’s theme, Coldplay divided Saturday’s concert into four acts. The first act, “Planets,” kicked things off with the song “Higher Power” as every digital bracelet in the crowd began flashing different colors in sync with the song’s melody, which would continue for different songs throughout the evening. Vibrant and psychedelic background visuals, cannons of confetti, massive balloons and pyrotechnics would become recurring displays of the concert as well.
Fan Favorites
Photo by Ben Slowey
Coldplay - Madison 2025
Chris Martin dons a cheesehead during Coldplay's performance at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin (2025)
Chris Martin vivaciously danced down the stage catwalk as Coldplay continued into fan favorites “Adventure of a Lifetime” and “Paradise.” He then seated himself at a piano for the band’s classic heartbreak anthem “The Scientist.” Upon closing the song, Martin acknowledged the crowd with excitement, showing enthusiasm to be in Madison for the first time.
The concert continued into its second act “Moons” with the smash hit “Viva La Vida.” Between songs, Martin walked around the perimeter of the B-stage to warmly greet fans and read a few signs being held up. He also recognized flags of several countries in the crowd, affirming that Coldplay concerts are a place where people from all over the world are welcome.
Perhaps the pinnacle “Wisconsin” moment of the concert occurred with the song “Us Against the World,” where Martin welcomed four individuals wearing Cheesehead hats as well as a girl dressed as an alien onto the stage. One of them offered Martin their hat, which he then humorously wore as he performed the song with all of his guests joining him in singing. Coldplay then proceeded with their classics “Charlie Brown” and “Yellow” within Act Two.
Human Heart
Act Three, “Stars,” began with a puppet-led rendition of the song “Human Heart” that subsequently led into “People of the Pride,” followed by “Clocks.” Coldplay welcomed Elyanna and Shone from backstage for the song “WE PRAY,” then the band donned alien masks for “Something Just Like This,” a 2017 collaboration with The Chainsmokers. For the latter, Martin summoned a security guard onstage and put an alien mask on him, after which the guard began dancing and jumping around alongside Martin as the crowd cheered with joy. Act Three concluded with "A Sky Full of Stars,” which Martin stopped and restarted upon asking the crowd to put their phones away and be as truly in the moment as possible for the song.
The fourth and final act, “Home,” was essentially an encore where Coldplay took to the C-stage for a stripped-down performance of “Sparks,” harkening back to the band’s very early days of rehearsing in a small room and eating toast together. They then played “In My Place” with Champion on lead vocals, followed by “The Jumbotron Song,” where different fans wearing amusing costumes were spotlighted on the big screen as Martin made up a short, silly song about each. Coldplay then returned to the main stage for their last three songs: “Fix You,” “Good Feelings” (for which a puppet on the Jumbotron instructed the crowd to put their 3-D glasses on) and “Feelslikeimfallinginlove.”
Coldplay’s Madison concert concluded with a fireworks finale and show credits on the Jumbotron.
